Guest Choreographers

Miss Cameron hails from Portland, Oregon where she was trained in the Royal Academy of Dance method under Marjorie Soriano while also training in tap and jazz techniques at June Taylor’s School of Dance. Cameron has had an impressive professional dance career spanning fourteen years. She was promoted to soloist with Houston Ballet, principal with Ballet Memphis and principal with Ballet Florida. During her career she danced a wide range of both contemporary and classical roles by some of the dance worlds most renowned choreographers. With a vast wealth of dance knowledge Cameron began teaching and choreographing in 2002. She first started working with Northwest Dance Theatre in 2007 and has served as an assistant artistic director and co-artistic director for the company. In 2008, she developed the Dance Educational Outreach Program for NWDT and has continued presenting it at the Tualatin Library. Along with her work for June Taylor’s School of Dance and NWDT, Cameron also teaches dance classes through Dance for Parkinson’s Oregon.

Born in Indianapolis, IN where she began studying dance as a child, performing in many Nutcracker productions with Indianapolis Ballet Theatre. She graduated from a performing arts high school and then earned a major in Modern Dance at the University of Utah.

M’Liss was accepted as a full-time student at the prestigious Alvin Ailey School in New York City. That led to performances with Milton Meyers and Jolie Maffie. 

M’Liss is a founding member of Polaris Dance Theatre with current roles as a dancer and Rehearsal Director for Polaris Dance Theatre as well as the Junior Company Rehearsal Director. In addition to her passion and experience in dance, M’Liss is a world-class synchronized swimmer. She has competed in, as well as coached, synchronized swim teams in national, international and world competitions.

Thorey Mountain, who is English/Icelandic, has recently returned to Portland following an extended stay in the UK where she was Head of Jazz Dance at two of the foremost vocational ballet schools, Elmhurst School for Dance in association with Birmingham Royal Ballet and The Dance School of Scotland which is affiliated with Scottish Ballet. She also taught Mattox Jazz technique at London Studio Centre, a highly respected performing arts college. During her sojourn in Britain Thorey also obtained her BA Honours degree in Theatre Dance (Dance Education) and her Masters (an MPhil in Educational Studies – Dance). She was also the Birmingham based tap tutor for the wildly successful West End production of Billy Elliot. In recent years she has been thrilled to see three of her students star in the role of Michael on the London stage.

After full time training in classical ballet and theatre arts at Arts Educational School, Thorey continued her studies with Anna Northcote before becoming a member of the Sadler’s Wells Opera Movement Group. She also studied with American jazz dancer and choreographer, Matt Mattox and danced with his Jazzart Company at the Edinburgh Festival and at the Roundhouse in London. Thorey appeared in the original West End productions of Applause, Pippin and A Chorus Line and had the unique opportunity of working with Bob Fosse. She also appeared extensively in BBC television productions, commercials and films, notably The Slipper and the Rose for Mark Breaux.

Sally started her dancing journey at age six in North Yorkshire England, where she studied jazz, tap, ballet and modern. She knew at a very early age that she wanted to dance and eventually become a dancing teacher. To help realize this dream she attended a professional dance College in London for three years, continuing to study all aspects of dance and gain teaching credentials.

Sally danced professionally in Europe, the Middle East and aboard six cruise ships before getting married and putting down roots in Seattle. She feels blessed to have found the British Dancing Academy, as the training is everything she grew up doing herself. The almost thirty years of teaching experience that she has gained there have helped shape the person she is today.

Sally has spent weeks away at Chichester University, England on a dance teacher’s courses being trained by the creative team that put together the modern curriculum for the ISTD. She is excited to bring all of the knowledge that was gained there and at the many other courses in Canada she has attended, to her students.

"It is an honor to help students to achieve their own goals. The joy and excitement of seeing the changes dance can bring to all students, never fades." - Sally

Laura Haney grew up in Colorado Springs, CO, and attended Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Natick, MA, where she studied dance and music. She was a member of River North Dance Company and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, was a featured performer in the First National Tour of Fosse and a cast member of the Broadway musical A Christmas Carol at Madison Square Garden for two seasons.

Laura was a company member of BodyVox from 2005-2008 and most recently performed with Lane Hunter Dance. She is a certified Pilates, BeMoved®, and Ellové Technique™ instructor and has taught numerous dance workshops and master classes across the country. She continues to teach dance in the Portland area at the studios including BodyVox, June Taylor’s School of Dance, and Reed College. Laura spent 12 years directing the dance program and student company at Multnomah Athletic Club and is now the Business Manager for The Ellové Technique.

Maria Tucker began her love affair with the arts at the age of twelve, studying with and being mentored by Zetta (Shook) Alderman. She received scholarships to Gus Giordano Dance Center in Evanston, IL and the University of Arizona, School of Dance in Tucson, AZ. She has been performing, teaching, collaborating, and creating for more than 20 years; with credits including Royal Caribbean Entertainment, Busch Gardens, Bodyvox, Northwest Dance Project, Broadway Rose Theatre Company, Oregon Children's Theatre and Colorado Jazz Dance Company. For more info: www.marialynntucker.com